The Girl Who Played with Pasta

May 16, 2010

So…my inspiration for this dish was the May 2010 cover of Bon Appetit. I tweaked the recipe a bit to my liking, so I’m listing the original recipe below, as well as my variations — so you can make it how you like it. Afterall, isn’t cooking really all about what explodes on YOUR tastebuds? Oh, and if you haven’t gotten into the Stieg Larsson series. You should.

Fettuccine with Peas, Roasted Broccoli & Pancetta

Ingredients

12 ounces fettuccine or penne (I used whole wheat fettuccine)

3 ounces pancetta or bacon, chopped

1 1/4 pounds asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces (I subbed a head of broccoli, which I roasted with a little EVOO before adding to the dish)

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream (I used about a cup here, as well, to make it saucier)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided (I used dried)

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, divided (I used dried)

Preparation

Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.

Meanwhile, cook pancetta in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon drippings from skillet. Add asparagus to drippings in skillet; sauté 3 minutes. Add peas, white and pale green parts of green onions, and garlic; sauté until vegetables are just tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.